Machine for hinging boxes



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. U. BOLTON.

MACHINE FOR HINGING BOXES.

Patented MELT. 13

' -INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS WITNESSES n. ravens. PhollrLiMn-aphar. wman vm. m;

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. 0. BOLTON.

MACHINE FOR HINGING BOXES. No. 379,358. Patented Mar. 13, 1888,

ATTORNEYS.

N. PFIEHS, PhotoL'IlMgnP er. Washingiun, D. C,

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.) I

A40. BOLTON.

MACHINE FOR HINGING BOXES.

Patented Mar. 13, 1888.

w m N 1 J a w 1. W 0 UL WITNESSES AJTTORNEYS.

N. Finns, Phokolilhogrwhzr, Washingiom nfc.

UNIT D STATES PAT NT O FICE.

ANDREW G. BOLTON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR HINGING BOXES.

SPECIFICATION fc 'ming part of Letters Patent No. 379,358, dated March13, 1888.

Application filed May 4, 1887. Serial No. 237,069. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW G. BOLTON, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Machinefor Automatically Hinging Boxes, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a machine for automatically hinging boxes; andit has for its object to provide a means whereby hinges may be firmlyand properly attached to any box in a rapid and effective manner, andwherein, also, the machine will be of simple yet durable construction.

The invention consists in the process of attaching hinges automaticallyto boxes, and in the construction and combination ofthe several parts ofthe machine, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine, and Fig. 2 a sideelevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section, of thehammers, nail-guides, and feeding mechanism for the hinges, and Fig. 4is a detail plan view of the hinge table. Fig. 5 is a detail view of theupper portion of the hinge-guides. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view ofa box, a hinge in position thereon, and the side hammers. Fig. 7 is adetail sectional view of the nail-boX and guides. Fig. 8 is a plan viewof the same; and Fig. 9 a front elevation of one of the guides.

In carrying out the invention, a frame, 1,

. is provided, adapted for attachment to a table or other suitablesupport, and upon said frame a standard, 2, is mounted, adapted to slidetransversely the frame, the motion of said standard being regulated by ascrew, 3, held to turn in the under side of the frame and passingthrough a lug integral with the under side of the standard, said lugextending through a slot in the frame, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.2.

A lever-arm, 4, is pivoted in the upper end of the standard 2, to theforward end of which lever a sliding block, 5, is pivotally connected,and into said block or carriage 5 at the lower event preferably equal tothe number of apertures in the hinges placed for attachment, and thepunches are so positioned in the carriage that one punch will be invertical alignment with each aperture in the hinge when the latter isproperly placed for attachment to a boX or similar receptacle.

A block, 9, is attached to the front of the standard 2 near the base,substantially aligning the aforesaid projection 8, which block 9 isprovided with a number of vertical apertures, 10, as shown in Fig. 3, sopositioned as to receive the punches or hammers 6. A series ofdownwardly and inwardly projecting tubes, 11, are projected through theblock 9, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and made to intersect the apertures10 near the base of said block, one tube being provided for eachaperture.

By means of a suitable apertured plate, 12, and a flangedlocking-collar, 13, a series of spring-tubes, 14, are detachably held inregistry with the various, apertures 10, (see Fig. 3,) the said tubesbeing open at the top and the lower ends being split and bent inward soas to substantially close the same.

To the rear of the standard 2,at each side, a Y-shaped upward andoutwardly extending auxiliary standard, 16, is secured, the innermember, 17, being shorter than the outer member, 18. Upon the members 18the outer ends of a connected series of boxes, 19, are pivoted, a boxbeing provided for every aperture 10, and the said boxes are providedwith openings 20 in the front, covered at will by a slide, 21, throughwhich the nails contained in said boxes drop down upon guides 22. Foreach boX a guide, 22, is provided adapted to project a distance beneaththe same, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, which guides consist of two stripsof metal or other suitable material, placed side and side, having facesinclined inward and downward, and with a space, 22,

intervening their parallel longitudinal contiguous edges, as shown inFig. 8. Each set of plates is attached at the ends to horizontal bars23, whereby all the guides are connected and placed in horizontalalignment one with the other. At the outer ends of the connected guidesthey are pivoted upon the shorter member, 17, of the auxiliary standard16. Thus the nail boxes and guides may be given any desired inclination.

A horizontal reciprocating bar, 24, is held to slide in brackets 24,suspended from the end guides, which bar 24 is provided with an integralpin, 25, centrally the under face, adapted to travel in cam-groove 26,as shown in Fig. 8, which groove is located in the upper surface of asemicircular projection, 27, integral with the lever 4.

The inner edge of the bar 24 is provided with a series of curved slots,28, equidistant apart and equal in number to the nail-guides, which areequal to the number of nail-apertures in the hinge to be secured; and atone side of said slots the bar 24 is provided with attached fingers 29,which fingers, partially surrounding the slots 28, are sharp at. theirends and fiat upon their outer edges. The outer edges of the fingers,projecting beyond and parallel with the inner edge of the bar 24, areadapted one finger to slide in a groove in the outer end of each guide,as illustrated in Fig. 8.

Beneath each slot 28, and inclosing the same, ahopper, 30, is secured tothe under side of the bar 24, which hoppers are connected each with oneof the tubes 11in the apertured block 9 by a line of flexible tubing,31, as shown in Fig. 1.

A box, 32, is provided to hold hinges, which box is made narrower at oneend than the other, having the narrowest end piece provided with aseries of apertures, 32, con forming to the contour ofthe hinge to beused,and, if found desirable,one or more interior guides, 33, for saidapertures. The said box 32 is supported at the frontof the machine, andpreferably at an elevation above it, by a crankrod, 34, attachedcentrally the under portion of the box and to the lever 4 near the outerend, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby the box is rocked up and down bythe movement of the lever 4.

The hinge-box is given a downward inclination, and from the reducedend,which may be open, a lip, 35, is projected,which lip ishinged to onearm of a spider, 36, attached to theside of the standard 2. From thehinged lip a chute, 37, is projected outward in a semicircle to atermination beneath the spring-tubes 14, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.The chute 37, which is held in position by the arms of the aforesaidspider 36, is constructed of two parallel strips of suitable material,preferably metal, and when the usual cigar-box or angle hinge is used,as illustrated in the drawings, the chute, where it connects with thelip of the box 32, is given a downward and outward curve, 39, away fromthe machine-frame, and from thence describes a gradual curve to a pointnear the end. At the termination of the curve the upper plate extendshorizontally beneath the spring-t ubes 14, against the under side ofwhich the portion of the box to be hinged is adapted to rest, and in theend of said plate,which constitutes a table, 40, aslot,

41, is out, which slot conforms to the contour.

of the hinge it is adapted to receive, as shown in Fig. 4.

The inner plate, which assumes the position of upper plate near thebottom of the curve, is cut away at that point and a light springarm,42, having a downwardly-extending free end, is attached at one side,which arm, passing through the plate, serves to retain the hinges at thebase of the chute until otherwise removed, as shown in Fig. 4. Totheiunerportion of the upper plate of the chute a longitudinally slottedspring, 43, is attached, which extends forward over the hinged aperturein the table 40, as shown in Fig. 4.

A finger, 44, encircled by a coiled spring, is held to slide in asleeve,45, integral with a lever, 45, which lever and finger are connected bymeans of a rock-shaft, 46, with the leverarm 4 to the rear of thecenter, from which leverarm the finger 44 receives motion. The finger is.adapted to enter the slot of the spring 43 and at the proper momentengage a hinge and carry the same over the aperture in the table 40, asshown in Fig. 4.

In tubular bearings 47 and 48, attached to the upper surface of theframe 1, the inner bearing, 47, of which is constructed at the endsimilar to the tubes 14, a horizontal punch or hammer, 49, is made toreciprocate by means of an angle-lever, 50, and rock-shaft 51, as

shown in Fig.2, the said bearings being so positioned that the end ofthe inner bearing will be in alignment with the aperture of the sh ortorangular arm of the hinge 52 when said hinge is positioned upon the box,and the in ner bearing, 47, is provided with an upwardly and rearwardlyextending tubular connection, 53, as shown in Fig.6, and a flexibletube, 54, uniting said connection with one of the nailboxes 19, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2.

The lever-arm 4 may be operated by a connection, 54, from a treadle, 55,as shown, or in any other suitable manner, and the hingechute may bealtered to suit any form of hingefor instance, in a butt-hinge the chutemay curve regularly from top to bottom and a channel be formedlongitudinally and centrally of the chute to receive the hinge of thebutts.

Upon the vertical portion of the framel an adjustable support, 56, isprovided, adapted to hold the box, which suppport is adjustable bothlaterally and vertically through the setscrews 57 and 58, or in anysuitable or approved manner.

In operation the nails are thrown promiscuously in the boxes 19 and thehinges in the box 32. The slides in the nail-boxes are lifted andtheshaking or jarring movement of the machine causes thenails to fall uponthe inclined surface of the guides, where, from the same cause and byforce of gravity, they assume a vertical position in the space 22,supported by their heads, as illustrated in Fig.7, the lowermost nailbearing against the sliding bar 24. As the said bar is reeiprocated bythe movement of the lever-arm 4 the slots 28 therein are brought inregistry with the end of the aforesaid space 22, the point of thefingers 29 at the same time passing between the end nail and the onenext to it, guiding the said end nail into the aforesaid slot, whereupon it passes through the hopper 80 and tubes 31, and is conducted downin one of the spring-tubes 14, as shown in Fig. 5. The abovedistribution of the nails is accomplished upon the upward movement ofthe lever-arm 4. The opposite flat sides of the fingers 29 now close thespaces 22 and prevent the nails from passing into the slots 28 until thefingers have been retracted and again moved forward. Thus the requisitenumber of nails to each hinge will be provided.

The hinge box being constantly rocked by the motion of the rockshaft 34,the hinges are guided and passed out through the apertures 32: of thebox when they pass from the chute 35 upon their face, as shown in dottedlines, Fig. 5. Then, dropping into the outwardly and downwardly curvedportion 39 of the chute 37, they, by means otsaid curved de- (dine andtheir own gravity, make about a quarter-turn, righting themselves, asalsoillnstrated in Fig. 5, having what is designed to be their underface upward, and being held in a substantial horizontal position by theengagement.oftheirupward]ypmjecting angnlarportion with one edge of thechute. Having autoniatically straightened themselves, they pass down thesemicircular portion of the chute, turning gradually as they proceed,until the first hinge comes in contact with the finger 44, as shown inFig. 4, the other hinges following on down until the chute is filled.Upon the downward strike of the lever, which carries the hammers orpunches 6 to a contact with the nails positioned in the springtubes 14,and before the said punches come in contact with the nail-heads, themovement of the carrier 5 is so timed that the finger 44 will engage thelast hinge in the chute, carry it forward under the pressure of thespringplate to a registry with the aperture 41 in the table 40, throughwhich it drops in position upon the box placed beneath the table 40,asshown in Figs. 2 and 6. It is thereupon retained in position by theslotted springplate 43, the said plate being provided with apertureswhich register with the apertures of the hinge, but are larger than thelatter. The continued downward movement of the lever-arm and carrierbrings the hammers in contact with the nails, forcing them through thespring-tubes 14 into the box through the various apertures in the springand hinge. The upward movement of the carrier causes more nails todescend, and also propels the horizontal side hammer, 49, forward,

thereby driving the nail in the vertical end projection of the hingeillustrated in Figs. 2 and 6. The box is then placed to receive anotherhinge and the operation continued. As the number of fingers 29,nail-guides, springtubes, hammers, and apertures in the slottedspringplate is in practice equal in number to the apertures in the hingeto be applied, and as the hinges are fed one at a time by the finger 44past the arm 41, with their apertures in line with the spring-tubes andhammers, it follows that when the machine is operated, as hereinbeforedescribed, the hinges will be fed one at a time to the nailingmechanism, which has been supplied automatically with the requisitenumber of nails, as has also been fully set forth.

In the event a hinge is to be placed away from the edge of a box theentire mechanism may be moved forward to the necessary position by meansof the screw 3 or other equiva lent device.

It will he observed that a ratchet or other form of screw-driver may besubstituted for the ham mers, and screws be employed instead of nailsfor securing the hinges.

Having thus fully described my invention,I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with two sets ofnailholders at right angles to each othcr,and hammers or drivers foreach set to drive the nails in two directions simultaneously, of areceptacle for hinges, a chute leading, therefrom to a point adjacent tosaid hammers or drivers, and a feeding-finger forcing the hinges fromthe delivery end of the chute into position for action-by said hammers,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the hammer or driver and means forreciprocating it, of a block having an aperture to receive said hammeror driver, and an inclined aperture or tube leading inward through saidblock and communicating with its aperture, the flanged collar screwed onthe end of the block, an apertured plate resting on the flange of-saidcollar and provided with a spring'tube registering with the aperture "inthe block, and split and bent inward to form nail-holdingjaws, and meansfor feeding the nails or screws into the inclined aperture or tube inthe-block,substantially as set forth.

3. In a nailing mechanism,the combination, with the reciprocating blockthreaded at its lower or outer end, of an internally-flanged collarscrewing thereon, an apert-ured plate resting on said flange, and anailing hammer or driver passed through said aperture and having aretaining head fitting said aperture, whereby the head of the hammer maybe held against the end of the reciprocatiugblock, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination, with the nailguide, of a reciprocating bar at rightangles to the said guide,normally closing the delivery end of the IIOguide, and having its side next to the guide recessed for the passage ofthe nail, and a finger on the bar extending over said recess beyond theinner face of the bar, formed with a flat outer edge and a sharp forwardend, that part of the bar just in advance of the sharp end of the fingernormally closing the nailguide, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a hinging-machine, with the frame having alaterally and vertically adjustable box-support on its front side, of ahorizontally-adjustable standard on the upper face of the frame, meansfor adjusting the standard toward and from the said front side, and thenailing and hinge-feeding mechanisms mounted on said standard and itsconnected parts and delivering at points above the box-support, wherebythe box and the standard and its parts may be brought into properposition for the application of the hinges to the desired parts of thebox, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the frame having a standard, the mainoperating-lever pivoted thereon, and means for rocking said lever, ofthe vertically-sliding block connected to the forward end of the saidlever, the hammers or drivers secured to the lower end of the block, thefixed block having vertical apertures through which said hammers pass,and downward-inclined tubes communicating with said apertures, and thenail-holdingjaws or fingers, the pivoted nail-chutes, flexible tubes forcon ducting the nails therefrom to the said inclined tubes, a regulatingfeed bar between said tubes and chutes, a projection on said bar, a camon the said lever acting on said projection, a hinge receptacle or boxrocked from the main lever, a curved chute leading therefrom to a pointbelow the nail-holders, an operating-finger for pushing the hinges intoposition at the delivery end of the chute, a rock shaft to which saidfinger is connected, and a rod connecting said rock-shaft with the mainlever, substantially as set forth.

7. The combinatiomwith the main operating sleeve, a spring connectingthe rear end of the finger with the said arm, and a rod or pitmanconnecting the rock-shaft with the main lever, substantially as setforth.

8. The combination,with thefrarne, theinain rocking lever mountedthereon, the two sets of hammers or drivers sliding in planes at rightangles to each other and operated from said main lever, nail-recei vi ngtubes through which said hammers pass, and feeding-tubes communicatingtherewith in advance of the hammers or drivers, of the hinged receptaclerocked from the main lever, the hinge chute formed of the parallelplates curved outward and downward at their points of connection withsaid receptacle, and thence gradually curved to a point adjacent to thetwo sets of hammers or drivers, and the feeding finger, also operatedfrom the main lever, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the spring-tubes 14 and 47, the hammers 6 and49, adapted to reciprocate in said tubes, the adjustable nailboxes 19and guides 22, a slotted reciprocating bar, 24, provided with fingers29,and means for connecting said bar and said spring-tubes, of a rockinghingebox, 32, a semicircular inclined chute, 37, hinged to said box,adapted to carry hinges, and provided with an upper outwardly anddownwardly inclined or twisted surface, 39, and a finger, 44, actuatedfrom the driving mechanism of the hammers,adapted to convey the hingesin position upon a box, all operating substantially as herein shown anddescribed.

ANDREW c. BOLTON.

Vitnesses:

J. F. AOKER, Jr., C. SEDGwIcK.

